Baker&#39;s-oven-furnace hood.



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F. E. THOMAS. BAKERS OVEN FURNAGE HOOD.

(Application lad Apr. 10, 1901..)

(No Model.)

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Nrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK ELBERT THOMAS, OF BATTLECREEK, MICHIGAN.

BAKERS-OVEN-FURNACE HOOD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,674, dated. January 21, 1902.

Application led April 10,1901. Serial No. 55,189. (No model.)

T0 a/ZZ whom, it may corr/cern:

Be itknown that I, FRANK ELBERT THOMAS,

.reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.`

My invention relates to bakers-oven-furnace hoods.

As the ordinary reel-oven is now operated considerable delay and inconvenience result each time the oven is fired, which is from one to four times a day, by reason of the smoke and sooty dust arising from the open furnace and spreading throughout the oven and settling upon the shelves where the goods must be placed. The smoke and soot also escape through the door of the oven and are deposited upon the brickwork in front, making a very unsightly appearance and causing much annoyance. vIt is at present customary for the baker to empty the oven each time it is fired. If this is not done the goods are always injured by the products of combustion. To avoid this unfortunate contingency the baker must wipe the parts after firing and before baking. It is, however, impossible to thoroughly cleanse the shelves, and as much of the bakingA is done on the bare shelves such pieces are more or less soiled and rendered unfit for sale by the dirt that was overlooked or could not be reached to be wiped off. Each time the oven is to be fired the baker must lose from forty minutes to an hour in emptying his oven beforehand and in cleaning it afterward. Under present conditions it is also a fact well known to experienced bakers that there are times when the oven becomes too hot and the goods are liable to be scorched or baked too quickly, with consequent failure in the quality of the product of the oven.

The object of my invention is to provide an open-furnace oven of the sort generally in use with a movable hood or covering extending entirely over the furnace and capable of being wholly withdrawn from above the lire. When the furnace is covered, the fire may be increased to the proper degree of intensity, the smoke and other deleterious gases and solid particles leaving the oven structure by way of a rearwardly-conducted smoke-pipe leading to a suitable uptake or stack. None of the smoke reaches the interior of the oven proper during the firing operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a hood or cover that may be partly projected above the furnace when it is desired to shut off more or less of the heat, and thus regulate the rapidity of the baking process in accordance with the results which the baker seeks to accomplish.

Each constituent element of my invention I lthe walls of the oven, 2 the bridge-wall of the furnace, and 3 the grate-bars. The furnace opens direct-lyinto the upper part of the oven, wherein is contained the reel of shelves 4 4. The mechanism for turning the reel forms no part of my invention and is not shown.

At each side of the fire-box, secured along auxiliary or inner furnace-walls 5 and 6, are the rails 7 and 8, which usually consist of angle-irons having the cross-section shown in Fig. 3. I do not confine myself to this shape, however, which may obviously be varied within the purview of my invention. Resting on the rails and adapted to travel along them are two pairs of grooved wheels 9 9 and 10 10. Only one of each pair of wheels is shown. (See Fig. 3.) They are revolubly supported within recesses 1la and 12, which extend along the side edges of the hood and are formed by the downwardly-extending double ian'ges 1l and 12. These recesses open downwardly and take in a portion near the IOO that the plate l5 has a flange 16 projecting t horizontally for a slight distance to the rear. It will also be noted that the rear edge of the top of the hood has a depending flange 17, and when the hood has been entirely drawn over the fire flanges 17 and 16 come together and form a joint sufficiently tight to prevent the escape of smoke into the oven, particularly as a smoke-pipe 18 of ample proportions opens at the plate l5 into the fire-box and conducts the smoke and gases away to astack.

At the front of the furnace is secured the plate 19, and this plate possesses a top horizontal flange 20. Fig. 1 shows that when hood 13 completely covers the furnace it passes just above flange 20 of plate 19 and the two parts come very near together, effectually shutting off the escape of smoke in that direction. Thus it will now be seen no smoke can enter the oven where the reel of shelves is located.

After the furnace is fired and the proper conditions obtain, the hood is either wholly or partly rolled from above the heated coals. This movement of the hood is accomplished by means of a shaft having supporting-bearings 21 and 22 or upheld rotatively in any other convenient manner. The shaft is numbered 23. Number 2t refers to a threaded wall-bearing through which the shaft passes, and number 25 marks a handle externally placed for turning the shaft. The shaft, as shown, has a threaded portion 23, and as it is turned it advances into or is withdrawn from the oven. This combined movement of As one cable winds More than two pairs of wheels may be the other unwinds. Cable 25 is fastened to eye 28 at the rear of the hood, and cable 27 is secured to eye 29 at its front edge. The hoodis shown over the fire, and it will now be understood that if handle 25 is turned right-handed the shaft will advance into the oven, ceiling cable 27 and uncoiling cable 26, thereby moving the hood 13 to the rear of the furnace and exposing the fire.

I am aware that bakers ovens have been constructed which are furnished with dampers to cut the smoke off from the oven proper, and I do not claim such features broadly.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent ot the United States, is-

1. In a bakers-oven-furnace hood, the combination of the rails 7 and 8 and means for supporting them at the sides of the furnace, a hood adapted to cover the open top of the furnace and having downwardly-extending double flanges at the sides forming recesses between the flanges, wheels held revoluble in the said recesses whereby the hood is movably carried upon the rails, the said rails being adapted to project upwardly into the recesses formed bythe flanges thus preventing escape of smoke from the sides of the furnace, mechanism arranged to operate the hood, and a smoke-pipe opening into the furnace below the hood, substantially as described. i Inabakers-oven-furnace hood, the combination of the rails and means for supporting them at the sides of the furnace, a hood adapted to cover the open top of the furnace and having downwardly-extending double flanges at the sides forming recesses between them, wheels held revoluble in the said recesses whereby the hood is movably carried upon the rails, a transverse shaft and devices for rotating it, cables secured to the said hood and arranged to be coiled alternately on the shaft, and a smoke-pipe opening into the furnace, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK ELBERT THOMAS.

Witnesses:

THos. TRUAX,

W. LANE. 

